


Christmas Day

by DanieXJ



Series: A Year [4]
Category: ER
Genre: Christmas, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-28
Updated: 2014-12-28
Packaged: 2018-03-04 01:56:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,467
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2905085
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DanieXJ/pseuds/DanieXJ
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The title says it all. Christmas Day with the Legaspis, Weavers, and a Lopez.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Christmas Day

**Author's Note:**

> I wasn’t going to do a Christmas Day story. At least I didn’t think I was until I got one of my presents Christmas morning and this story popped (pretty much fully formed) into my head. So, blame my father for this one… (the particular gift giver)

“More puzzles?” Ingrid looked confused even as Henry looked overjoyed, turning the metal brain teaser over and over in his hands. “But…”

“Ingrid…” Ingrid fell silent when she heard the warning in her mother’s voice, but still frowned.

Henry got up and hugged Kerry tightly, “Thank you Mama.”

Kerry kissed the side of Henry’s head. “You’re welcome Henry.”

Ingrid spoke again, “Do you solve them or something?”

Henry nodded enthusiastically, “Mama, may I show Ingrid my wall before we open more presents?”

Kerry glanced at the clock, then nodded, “Of course.” He held out a hand. Ingrid took it and Henry led her towards his room.

“His wall?”

“A wall in his room. It has shelves all over it, and on those shelves are all the puzzles that he’s solved. I actually had to add a couple more shelves to what I originally put up when we moved back in.”

Kim smirked, “How… handy of you.”

Kerry shot Kim a look, then chuckled. After a moment she glanced towards the hallway and lowered her voice, “Honestly it’s getting hard to find new ones.”

Kim looked up and past Kerry, thinking or remembering something. “Does he do wood ones too?” Kerry nodded, “Hmm… I may have a solution to your problem.”

When Kim didn’t continue with the actual solution they both were silent for a moment, the stillness washing over them. Kim broke the silence, “So, hockey and puzzles?”

Kerry nodded, “I’ll admit I’m not entirely happy about the hockey, but it makes him… and Carlos happy and it’s what Sandy would have wanted for him as well.”

Kim frowned, “For him to play hockey?”

Kerry shook her head, “No, no, for him to have the opportunity, the choice to play hockey.” Kerry smiled, “She was all about doing everything at least once.”

Kim waggled her eyebrows, “Everything.”

Kerry smirked at Kim and answered with a straight face, “Ev-erything.” Kim blinked a couple of times, then smiled. After a moment she stood. They’d been sitting on opposite sides of the living room while they all opened presents. She joined Kerry on the couch, throwing an arm over the back. Kerry sighed and let herself relax into Kim a bit. “I think you scored a win with the bike.”

Kim smiled, “Oh— you could tell that? I thought that the high pitched squeal was so subtle.”

Kerry smiled and Kim glanced down the hall, “And Henry’s— final present?”

Kerry looked at the door, then her phone, “Soon I hope.”

Henry came back into the room, followed by Ingrid who was still talking, “That was so cool Henry.” She climbed up next to her Mom, still speaking, “And Henry re-did one so that I could try, and it was so hard, but then I gave it to Henry and he did it in like… one second. It was so awesome. He’s so smart.”

Henry blushed, “I’d already done that one, so I did sorta know how it worked.”

The doorbell saved Henry from any more of what he thought was highly embarrassment. He started towards the door, but Kerry stood first. “I’ll get it Henry. But, maybe Kim and Ingrid want more Egg Nog.”

Ingrid’s eyes got big and she looked towards Kim, “Ooh, more Nog, more Nog…”

Kim narrowed her eyes at Kerry, then sighed, “Yeah, sure kiddo, you can have one more glass of Egg Nog.”

Kerry opened the door, shooting Carlos a look. Carlos winced and held one hand up, in the other was the cutest of cute puppies. In a quiet voice he spoke, “Sorry, sorry, he wouldn’t stay still for the da-darn bow.”

Kerry leaned forward and kissed Carlos’ cheek, “Thank you Carlos.”

Carlos smirked, “What are little brothers for right? Are Kim and Ingrid here— have you told her yet?”

“Told me what?”

Kerry turned and blinked in surprise, “What, nothing.” She shot Carlos a look, “Are you ready?”

Carlos stepped past Kerry and made his way into the living room. A moment after he got there Ingrid gave another squeal of delight and they heard Henry give a ‘whoa’.

Kim frowned, “You’re letting him take credit for the puppy?”

Kerry shook her head, “He won’t. So, will you help me get all the… extra things that are required to have a dog?”

“Basement?” 

Kerry shook her head, “Office.”

Kim glanced around, “How many bedrooms are there?”

“4.”

Kerry opened the door and as Kim stepped in she made a sound in the back of her throat followed by, “Whoa.”

Kerry shook her head, “Yes, apparently dogs take a lot of…”

“Crap?”

Kerry smiled, “Things.” She picked up the crate and put it in Kim’s arms. “Here.”

Only Kim’s eyes could be seen above the crate, “Oh, I see why I was invited.”

Kerry raised an eyebrow, “Keep your day job, comedian you are not.”

Kerry led the way out of the room, her own arms full of all the rest of the things that came with the puppy. 

Both women were nearly bowled over as they entered the living room. “Mama…” Kerry managed to put down the stuff in her arms and then she was engulfed in a hug by Henry. “Thank you, thank you, thank you.”

Kerry kissed the top of his head. “You’re very welcome. But, you know…”

Henry nodded and finished Kerry’s thought before she could, “Yes, I’ll feed him, I’ll walk him, and teach him how to sit and stay and stuff, and…” he made a bit of a face, “pick up after him.”

Kerry smiled, “You forgot one you know.”

Henry frowned, “I forgot… um… make sure that he’s good?” Kerry shook her head, and Henry looked towards Carlos.

Carlos shrugged, “I think you hit all the big ones.”

Ingrid furrowed her brows for a moment, then her eyes widened, “Ooh, I know, I know. Play with him.”

Henry blinked, “Oh, yeah, right…” The puppy ran up to him, bumping into his leg and falling backwards. Henry swooped him up in his arms, something the puppy seemed to like. He laughed as he tried to dodge the puppy’s tongue. “Mama, may we take him for a walk?”

Ingrid jumped from her place on the ground next to the tree, “Ooh, can I ride my bike too, please Mommmm?”

Kerry held out a retractable leash, “Of course.”

Ingrid looked up expectantly at Kim, who finally nodded. “It is beautiful out.”

Carlos grumbled, “Relatively. Beautiful is 68 and sunny. Not 42 and cloudy.”

Kim raised an eyebrow, “I stand corrected. It’s relatively beautiful outside.”

Carlos laid his head back against the couch and closed his eyes, “Yep, I’ll stay here and make sure that the couch doesn’t float away.”

“No, no, come with us Uncle Carlos.” Ingrid took a hold of one of Carlos’ hands and started yanking at it. “Help me Henry. Help me.”

Carlos narrowed his eyes at his nephew as Henry took the other hand with his arm that didn’t have puppy in it, and they both started pulling. Carlos groaned, “You’re not gonna let go are you.” Henry just smiled. “Well… you should put on his leash. He’s been dragging the one I have around for the past week, so he should be used to it.”

“Ingrid. How about you go get Henry and your coats, since he seems to have his hands full.”

Ingrid let go of Carlos’ hand and scampered out of the living room, followed closely by the puppy and Henry. Kim held her hand out and pulled Carlos to his feet. “Sorry ‘bout the… Uncle Carlos thing, she just…”

Carlos waved Kim silent, “No worries. I’m Uncle Carlos to so many kids sometimes it’s hard to keep track.” He glanced at Kerry, “That said… little sis… there had better be some quality Nog with a little something extra at the end of this frigid walk.”

Kerry rolled her eyes, “Didn’t you grow up in Chicago.” She looked between Kim and Kerry, “A couple of wimps, the both of you.”

She also went into the entranceway, leaving Carlos and Kim in the living room. “Are you a wimp?”

Carlos made a pffftt sound, “Not likely, EMT, not to mention youngest in my family. Now wimpiness here. You?”

Kim also made a pffftt sound, “Looked killers in the eyes and not blinked. So. We’re agreed. Not wimps.”

“Not at all.”

“But, 42 is cold, right Carlos.”

Carlos nodded, “Super cold.” They both chuckled and Carlos threw an arm over Kim’s shoulders, “Maybe you’re not so bad. You’re not my sister, but, who would be. And, you make her smile at someone who isn’t me or the kid again.”

Kim put her arm over Carlos’ shoulders as well, “And you’re not bad…”

Carlos grimaced, “After keeping that dog for a week. I’m a freakin’ Saint.”


End file.
